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My son recently married a wonderful woman this summer. As my son was telling me about the wedding arrangements, he asked me if I would make them something special to put envelopes and cards in at the wedding reception. I offered them a wishing well I made 26 years ago for my wedding. No, they said, it seems wishing wells, gift wrapped boxes and painted mail boxes were what everyone was using and they wanted something different.

After spending what seemed to be hours trying to come up with something different and out of the ordinary, I came across a wedding card box made from picture frames on the internet. I could make this, only with a few improvements. The hard part was getting the approval of my wife and future daughter in-laws mother. To my surprise, they loved the idea, and it was time to get started. Just one thing, I wanted to keep it a secret from the bride and groom until they walked into the reception hall.

After a trip to the local Amish lumber yard for some oak boards, and the local craft store to purchase four inexpensive picture frames (they came with the glass, photo mat, and frame back I needed- cheaper than buying them separately) I was ready to get busy.

I started out making my own picture frames, something I have never done before. The box has four vertical supports on the corners, made in two pieces. I routed a slot in the center of each piece so when I glued them together they made a hole for a threaded rod to pass through. Then I cut a dado on both sides of each one to allow the picture frames to slide into them.

I attached the threaded rods to the base, slid the vertical supports onto the threaded rods, and slid the picture frames in place. Then I drilled a counter bore to fit a cap nut to hold everything together and conceal how it is opened. It can all be taken apart, and the picture frames can be used separately. Finally, I routed a groove in the bottom to attach a lazy susan so the box would spin around and the pictures on all four sides could be seen.

The box was beautiful and everybody was pleased with my design and effort. Now the real test, what would the Bride and Groom think?

At the reception, I stood at the door with my wife and the bride’s parents greeting the guests as they came in, listening to the comments and complements on my box. However, I was waiting for the Bride and Grooms comments. As they arrived at the reception they saw the card box and thought it was amazing. They were surprised and happy with what I came up with.

That’s how my woodworking skills became part of my son and daughter-in-laws wedding.